Visiting Sheritan Federal 'Correctional Institute'

[Porter Doran]

Those who err against American society are punished with -- American society.

The federal prisoners among whom I spent last weekend are fed only highly-processed or synthetic foods; no vegetables or fruit are served with any meal. At the prison store, bananas sell for three dollars each, cheap generic sneakers for ninety dollars. Indolence and boredom are enforced. The library is closet-tiny. Only top-40 radio plays: no one can choose from albums. Fox News is on television except for certain breaks for action movies. The chapel wall bears a plaque of rules for speakers: no contrasting of religions, no discussing prison or the government, no radical ideas. New-age religious materials are prominent, but also tracts by once-saved-always-saved-ers. Inmates are pasty and slow-moving, and full of vague hope for nothing.

[Pigmalia]

Vegetarian Food Goes to Jail

A vegetarian meal--is it the ideal tool for punishment? Or is it, perhaps, quite the opposite, an anticipated pleasure? While one prison warden views a vegetarian meal as punishment for aggressive behavior, another has achieved remarkable results in rehabilitating inmates with vegan foods.

At the Maryland Correctional Adjustment Center in Baltimore unruly prisoners are served a "special management meal." As reported by Scott Simon on NPR's Weekend Edition Saturday (April 6), the meal consists of a one pound loaf that "smells a little bit like the food they serve in the elephant cage at the National Zoo." Simon tasted the concoction and described it as "blander than bland."


The Victor Valley Medium Correctional Facility in Adelanto, California is miles apart from the Maryland prison, not only in distance but also in the philosophy toward their 550 prisoners and their diet that includes vegan meals for approximately half of the inmates.


When new inmates arrive at Adelanto, they attend an orientation that describes two distinct programs. One option is the traditional program followed by most correctional facilities. The other, the NEWSTART Program, focuses on vegan meals, bible study classes, an anger management program, job training, and psychological counseling. Those who choose the NEWSTART Program must commit to participating in the entire program.



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[GrahamS]

That's interesting. I wonder if any other prisons have tried out vegan meal plans. There probably aren't too many private prisons owned by Seventh-day Adventists.

Apropos of nothing, I googled that prison and company and it looks like they got in a wee bit of trouble with a dispute about profits from inmate phone calls.

Re: OP

I felt depressed just reading that.

[Andy Alexis-Baker]

Having spent a fair number of days in prisons, I can say that no matter what the food is, vegetable or not, the food in prison is awful. They used to allow "hotpots" in cells so that inmates could cook their own food at night. I lived off of beans and rice. The hispanic inmates would often have potlucks consisting most of ramens, beans and rice, and other things bought from commissary or pilfered from chow hall. (I was one of the only white people who ever joined them or tried to learn Spanish at all).

A person could be vegetarian in jail on their own if the jails allow hotpots. The prison chow halls are also very dangerous. Crowds of inmates are there and people get stabbed sometimes if there is a hit. I was around when that happen a couple times. There are always guard towers with armed guards ready to shoot to kill in chow halls.

[njtom]

Anyone with an ounce of compassion cannot help but feel angry and/or depressed on reading anything about the American prison system.

But thankfully, there are countries that are trying to do a better job. Here is an open letter from an inmate at an "open prison" in Sweden.

http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/9692

[Porter Doran]

Originally Posted by Andy Alexis-Baker

Having spent a fair number of days in prisons, I can say that no matter what the food is, vegetable or not, the food in prison is awful. They used to allow "hotpots" in cells so that inmates could cook their own food at night. I lived off of beans and rice. The hispanic inmates would often have potlucks consisting most of ramens, beans and rice, and other things bought from commissary or pilfered from chow hall. (I was one of the only white people who ever joined them or tried to learn Spanish at all).

A person could be vegetarian in jail on their own if the jails allow hotpots. The prison chow halls are also very dangerous. Crowds of inmates are there and people get stabbed sometimes if there is a hit. I was around when that happen a couple times. There are always guard towers with armed guards ready to shoot to kill in chow halls.

This is fascinating, to me. I kept thinking as I was visiting about myself being an inmate there someday. By the way, their previous warden -- who died several years ago -- not only allowed vegetables but forced them to grow them --they say the whole yard was gardens -- rows and rows of broccoli, for example -- and that it was encouraged to bring handsful of greens and melons back to cellblock from chow during the summer. But they explained that, every time there is a change in the federal system, it is always for the worse or much worse. The hateful fad of "tough on crime" is an avalanche that perhaps can never be turned back.

[Porter Doran]

Originally Posted by Andy Alexis-Baker

The hispanic inmates would often have potlucks consisting most of ramens, beans and rice, and other things bought from commissary or pilfered from chow hall. (I was one of the only white people who ever joined them or tried to learn Spanish at all).

The assistant chaplain told us that racial divisions in federal prison are absolutely insuperable; that an inmate's life can depend on observing them. Altogether, I kept thinking, What a place to bring the radical Gospel; what a place for peacemaking, or for dying for truth &c. I was thinking as a potential inmate -- but I couldn't help also thinking of a "prison ministry" thereto -- which, by the way, would be forbidden at this facility where only the most milquetoast of religious instruction is permitted.

[noble]

Originally Posted by Porter Doran

The assistant chaplain told us that racial divisions in federal prison are absolutely insuperable; that an inmate's life can depend on observing them. Altogether, I kept thinking, What a place to bring the radical Gospel; what a place for peacemaking, or for dying for truth &c. I was thinking as a potential inmate -- but I couldn't help also thinking of a "prison ministry" thereto -- which, by the way, would be forbidden at this facility where only the most milquetoast of religious instruction is permitted.

On March 9, 2001, I left the Federal Bureau of Prisons Chaplaincy to follow the nonviolent Jesus. Grady Zickefoose was the Supervisory Chaplain I replaced before my departure from the BOP. Chaplain Zickefoose became the Supervisory Chaplain in Sheridan. I was wondering if he was still there?

As far as prison food, the best food I ate - while serving a BOP Chaplain - was during the Ramadan fast (Sunni and Shite) and the December fast (Nation of Islam). There were some prison residents who could really cook.

It depends on the warden as to things getting better or worse in a federal prison.

Elbon Kilpatrick
Jackson, Tennessee

[Porter Doran]

Yeah the role a warden plays was explained to us often. Their previous warden was much different.

There was no Zickefoose there, no. We interacted with three chaplains, of varying ages and responsibility -- all seemed like great chaps, and I wish I could remember their names.